Self-aligning bearing



8 5 4 JR E 2 l o 4 1 5 Exa m April 1940- E. F. MARTINET El AL R9. 21,4i5I ,2, M 3 .20/ SELF-ALIGNING amnnm Original Filed June 6, 1935 2Sheets-Sheet I q llzymei/harli/wl ll/uv' 112 50 P 1940. E. F. MARTINETEl AL Re. 21,415

SBLF-ALIGNING BEARING Original Filed Juno 6, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2F/Varfi/zel 011412 111101 J/fas wr ww Reissued Apr. 2, 1940 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE SELF-ALIGNING BEARING poration of Ohio Original No.2,143,201, dated January 10, 1939, Serial No. 25,272, June 6, 1935.Application for reissue February 15, 1939, Serial No. 256,542

2 Claims.

The invention relates to self-aligning bearings, and more particularlyto a self-aligning bearing construction for the motor or rotor shaft ofan electrically operated, portable, domestic or household suctioncleaner having a motor driven fan, a suction nozzle and a dust bag,manipulated by a handle.

Substantially all portable household suction cleaners are electricallyoperated and include a motor having a rotor shaft upon which the suctionfan is mounted. Bearings must be provided for the rotor shaft and thesebearings must be lubricated in some manner. Difliculties have, however,been encountered in providing the proper lubrication for such bearingsso that the lubricant need only be replenished infrequently, and so thatthe bearing lubrication is uniform without involving over-oiling andseepage.

These diiiiculties are greatly increased when a self-aligning bearingconstruction is involved, and it is highly desirable if not necessary,for smooth, uniform and eflicient operation of a cleaner to provide aself-aligning bearing for the cleaner rotor shaft.

Ordinary bearing lubrication difficulties in a measure have beencorrected by utilizing a porous, absorbent, sponge-like, metallicbearing material for journalling the rotor shaft; which bearing materialabsorbs, exteriorly thereof, oil or other lubricant from a reservoirsupply and exudes the lubricant interiorly along its bore wherein therotor shaft is journalled.

However, no prior self-aligning bearing construction has ever embodiedporous absorbent, sponge-like, metallic, bearing material in asatisfactory manner without encountering the difficulties and dangersreferred to above, the worst of which is over-oiling; and over-oilingcannot be tolerated in household suction cleaner construction, becauseseeping or dripping oil might quickly ruin articles being cleaned by thecleaner.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide animproved self-aligning bearing construction for rotating shafts.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a suctioncleaner motor shaft with a self-aligning bearing construction, which maybe properly lubricated without danger of over-oiling or oil seepage.

It is likewise an object of the present invention to provide a suctioncleaner motor shaft with a self-aligning bearing construction, which maybe lubricated uniformly and efliciently with only very infrequentreplenishment of free lubricant.

Moreover, it is an object of the present invention to provide a suctioncleaner motor shaft with a self-aligning bearing construction utilizingporous, absorbent, sponge-like, metallic, bearing material without,however, requiring a large amount of such bearing material, which isrelatively expensive, to be used.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedself-aligning bearing construction in which the tension or pressure uponthe self-aligning parts of the bearing is relatively small.

Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide aself-aligning bearing construction having relatively few parts of simpleand inexpensive construction in manufacture, assembly and use.

And finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide aself-aligning bearing construction, which avoids the describeddifflculties ex perienced in connection with the use of prior types ofbearings, and which incorporates one or more of the advantageouscharacteristics or desiderata set forth above.

These and other objects may be obtained by the self-aligning bearingconstructions, parts, elements and combinations, preferred embodimentsof which are shown in the accompanying drawings and are hereinafterdescribed in detail and claimed, which may be stated in general terms aspreferably including in self-aligning bearing construction for arotating shaft, a hearing plate or base, a bearing housing memberuniversally journalled under tension on the plate or base, a bearingsleeve of porous, absorbent. sponge-like, metallic, bearing materialmounted in said housing, a shaft journalled in said sleeve, said housingbeing provided with a compartment communicating with the exterior ofsaid sleeve forming a lubricant reservoir, and means for in troducingfree lubricant into said reservoir.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of an electrically-operated.portable, suction cleaner equipped with one form of improved self-aligning bearing constructiom,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of certainportions of the suction cleaner shown in Fig. 1, showing one form ofimproved self-aligning bearing construction;

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on the line 3-3, Fig. 2:

Fig. 4 is a cross section similar to Fig. 3. taken on the line 4-4, Fig.2;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of certain of the improved bearing partsshown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, with a quarter portion thereof in section;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken on the line 6-6, Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, but taken on the line 11, Fig. 3;and

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing a slightly modified form ofimproved self-aligning bearing construction.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the various figuresof the drawings.

A usual type of electrically operated portable suction cleaner is shownin Fig. 1, which may comprise a motor 9 in a motor housing l0, providedwith a fan housing ll, having a fan I2 therein, and a suction nozzle l3communicating with the fan housing II. An operating handle l4 and a dustbag (not shown) connected with the exhaust opening of the fan housing H,are also provided for the cleaner; and the motor housing In, the fanhousing H and nozzle l3 are mounted on front casters l5, and a.preferably adjustable rear caster l6 for ambulant motion over a floor orthe like indicated at H.

One embodiment of the improved self-aligning bearing construction isbest illustrated in Figs. 2 to 7, inclusive, and the same forms abearing support for the motor armature shaft I6 of the motor 9, on whichthe fan I2 is mounted. The armature shaft l6 has thereon the usualshoulder portion l6a forming the thrust abutment for the shaft M.

The improved self-aligning bearing support preferably includes a bearingplate orbasemember I9, which is preferably mounted on and secured to themotor housing "I by screws or the like 20, engaging in lugs or bosses 2|formed on the motor housing. The bearing plate or base member I! isprovided centrally thereof with a neck 22 having an inner sphericalsurface 23.

A spring metal retaining disk or member 24 is secured to the plate orbase member I3 around the neck 22 thereof, preferably by rivets 25; andthe member 24 is also provided with a discontinuous neck formed by aseries of tangs or fingers 26 with intervening cut-out portions 21. Theinner surfaces of the tangs or fingers 26 are also spherically formed asindicated at 26 in continuation of the spherical inner surface 23 of theplate neck 22.

A bearing housing member generally indicated at 29 in Fig. is providedwith a housing portion 30 having an outer spherical surface 30'; and thehousing portion 30 is universally journalled within the sphericalsurfaces 23 and 26 formed on the neck 22 and spring tangs 26 before theretaining member 24 is secured to the plate or base member l9, so thatthe spring tangs provide a resilient journal mounting for the housing30.

The housing portion 30 is provided with an internal preferably annular,recess 3|, and a preferably cylindrical bore 32; and a bearing sleeve 33formed of porous, absorbent, sponge-like, metallic bearing material,which is pressed into the bore 32 of the housing portion 30. When thebearing sleeve 33 is assembled in the bearing housing member 29, anannular compartment is formed by the recess 3| and bearing sleeve 33within the housing portion 30, which serves as a lubricant reservoir;and a short pipe 34 is preferably mounted on the housing portion 36 bypressing the end 35 thereof into a bored boss 36, with which the housingportion 30 is provided; whereby the pipe 34 provides means forintroducing free lubricant into the reservoir.

Referring to Fig. 3, the two upper adjacent tangs or fingers 26 on theretaining member 24 are preferably spaced wider apart by a notch 21athan the remaining tangs so as to receive and clear the boss 36; and theupper end of the lubricant filling pipe 34 is preferably provided with ascrew cap 31 projecting outwardly through an aperture 36 in the uppersurface of the motor housing I0, whereby the screw cap 31 may be readilyremoved when desired for introducing free lubricant into the fillingpipe 34 and thence to the lubricant reservoir within the housing portion30.

The fan end of the self-aligning bearing is preferably provided with aprotecting plate 36 secured to the housing portion 30 by screws 40 andpartially covering the fan end of the bearing sleeve 33 so as to preventthe sleeve from being axially dislodged, which may result if thrust onthe armature shaft l8 moves shoulder portion I3a to the left, whenviewing Fig. 2, against the adjacent end of said bearing sleeve 33.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 8, is the same as thasshown in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, excepting that the plate or base memberI! of Fig. 2 is made of pressed sheet metal, while the plate or basemember I90. shown in Fig. 8, is made of cast metal. The member lilo ispreferably mounted on and secured to a motor housing III by screws orthe like engaging lugs or bosses 2| formed on the motor housing; and thebearing plate or base member lila is provided centrally thereof with anintegral neck 22a having an inner spherical surface 23a.

A spring metal retaining disk or member 240 is secured to the plate orbase member Ha around the neck 22a thereof, preferably by screws 25a,and the member 24a is also provided with a discontinuous neck formed bya series of tangs or fingers 26a with intervening cut-out portions.

The inner surfaces of the tangs or fingers 26a are spherically formed asindicated at 2611 in continuation of the spherical inner surface 23a ofthe plate neck 22a.

The bearing housing member generally indicated at 29 in Fig. 5, may beuniversally Journaled within the spherical surfaces 23a and 26a; and theconstruction shown in Fig. 8 functions in the same manner as that shownin Fig. 1.

As stated, the bearing sleeve 33 is formed of a porous, absorbent,sponge-like, metallic bearing material, which may be any one of a numberof such bearing materials sold under trade names as Compo" or "Durex,and comprises powdered copper, tin graphite and/or other substancesmolded in the form of the desired bearing and then heat treated. Suchbearing materials are porous throughout and will soak up approximately40% by volume of free lubricant such as oil, light grease and the like.The bearing material therefore is termed herein, porous, absorbent,sponge-like, metallic bearing material and is sometimes referred toherein and in the claims as metallic sponge bearing material.

The function of the metallic sponge bearing 33 is to soak up or absorbfree lubricant from a source or reservoir, and as the shaft 13 rotatestherein, the center bore of the bearing 33 heats up, causing freelubricant in the pores thereof to flow out along the shaft and lubricatethe same.

Metallic sponge bearing materials have been used in self-aligningbearings, by molding the same with an outer spherical shape; but when somolded and mounted, it is diflicult if not im- 30. Gig,

possible to seal any free lubricant around the metallic sponge bearing.Moreover, metallic sponge bearing materials are quite expensive and ifbearings are made thereof with a spherical outer surface, a relativelylarge amount of bearing material is used which increases the costthereof without proriding a self-aligning bearing which may belubricated for an extended period of time without danger of over-oilingand seepage.

On the other hand, the present invention provides a self-aligningbearing in which an enclosure is formed with a free lubricantcompartment and has a metallic sponge bearing pressed therein so as toseal the free lubricant within the compartment; and. in which theenclosure is resiliently journaled for universal movement.

Moreover, the spherical exterior 30' of the bearing housing portion 30is relatively large, as compared with a similar spherical exteriorformed on a molded metallic sponge bearing in accordance with priorpractice, so that the retaining disk tang yielding spring pressedmounting for the bearing housing portion is also relatively large. Thus,the yielding mounting for the bearing housing portion is very stable andat the same time involves only relatively small spring pressures betweenthe spherical surfaces 23, 28 and 30'.

A considerable amount of free lubricant may be placed in the compartmentreservoir 3| and the filling tube 3!, as shown by the fluid levelindicated at 42 in each of Figs. 2 and 8, so that the improvedself-aligning bearings may be operated for months or even years withoutreplenishment of free lubricant. Moreover, although the improvedself-aligning bearing construction has been shown as applied to themotor rotating shafts which may be properly, uniformly and efiicientlylubricated with only very infrequent replenishments of free lubricantbut without danger of over-oiling or oil seepage; provides aconstruction which is relatively inexpensive in manufacture, assemblyand use; provides a construction which includes a yielding mountingwherein the tension or pressure upon the self-aligning parts isrelatively small; and provides a self-aligning bearing constructionavoiding the difiiculties experienced in connection with the use ofprior types of self-aligning bearings.

We claim:

1. Self-aligning bearing construction for the motor shaft of a suctioncleaner including a bearing plate having a neck provided with aspherical surface, a spring metal retaining disk having spaced fingersprovided with spherical surfaces, a bearing housing formed with anexterior spherical surface resiliently journaled within said neck andfinger spherical surfaces, a porous metal bearing sleeve mounted in saidhousing for journaling the shaft, means for supplying free lubricant tothe bearing sleeve,

and protecting means mounted on the housing covering the end of thebearing element on the opposite side of the plate from the disk, wherebythe bearing sleeve is prevented from being dislodged by thrust on theshaft.

2. In suction cleaner construction having a motor armature, a motorshaft projecting from the armature, a fan mounted on the end of saidshaft, 2. self-aligning bearing for the shaft located between saidarmature and said fan and including a bearing plate having a sphericallycurved neck, a spring metal retaining disk having spherically curvedspaced fingers, a bearing housing having a spherically curved outersurface resiliently joumaled within said neck and fingers, a porousmetal bearing sleeve mounted in said housing for journaling the shaft,and means at the opposite side of the plate from the disk for preventingsaid bearing sleeve from being dislodged from the housing by thrust onthe shaft.

EUGENE F. MARTINET. mama J. KASPER.

